Mo. Rep. Casts Deciding Medicare Vote

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, June 26, 2003

The Medicare prescription drug bill appeared headed for defeat unless Republican House leaders could turn two votes. That made a four-term member from Missouri the most powerful lawmaker on the floor.

A half hour after GOP leaders huddled around Republican Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, the Missouri congresswoman emerged with a green card in hand. She presented it to the clerk, changing her vote from "no" to "aye" _ breaking a tie to rescue the bill, 216-215.

Emerson, who sat calmly while Speaker Dennis Hastert and other leaders hovered over her, said she didn't feel pressured.

After all, she said, she had won a promise that the final bill would strip the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to block the importation of prescription drugs from Canada, where drugs are cheaper because of price controls.

"The only pressure I felt was self-imposed pressure, to extract from the leadership a commitment," Emerson said afterward.

However, Hastert told reporters that Emerson was guaranteed a vote on the issue on another piece of legislation, although he also said the outcome of that vote would determine "the will of the House" when it came time to bargain with the Senate.

Emerson, who represents mostly rural southeast Missouri, has pushed for the change for several years, spurred by older Americans who board buses to Canada to buy cheaper drugs.

"They finally agreed to do that," she said. "I said all along I was on the line between voting yes and no based on whether they would agree to do that."

Emerson said she also was pleased with several provisions that would result in an infusion of Medicare dollars into rural areas.

Tensions ran high and grew after the vote began early Friday. Leaders took nearly an hour to round up enough support.

Their focus turned to Emerson, Rep. Butch Otter and other supporters of drug reimportation, and Minnesota Republican Rep. Gil Gutknecht stormed off the floor.

With GOP leaders encircling Emerson, New York Democrat Nita Lowey walked onto the floor and demanded of them: "Why Jo Ann Emerson? Why not some of the other men who voted against the bill?"

Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., was in the throng trying to rally support when Emerson reached the agreement with Hastert, Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas of California and others.

"At that moment in time, she was the most powerful person on the floor," Tiahrt said.

Then Emerson filled out her green card _"no" cards are red. So did Otter, and their names were read.

Lowey hugged Emerson at the clerk's desk.

Several observers remarked that Emerson looked emotional.

"I wasn't upset. I was intense," she said. "I guess I was praying I could trust what the leadership said."